Jet-propelled spinning balloon



Oct. 3, 1950 J, KENNEDY 2,524,059

JET PROPELLED SPINNING BALLOON Filed July l2, 1946 2 Sheets-Shea?l 1 m g TTT //Z y l /%4 6/ /7 05W fmwg,

ryqrroR/vcy Oct. 3, 1950 J. KENNEDY JET PROPELLED SPINNING BALLooN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July l2, 1946 patented ct. 3Q -QS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFC JET-PROPELLED SPINNING BALLOON J ohn Kennedy, Detroit, Mich.

Application `luly 12, 1946, Serial No. 683,030

3 Claims. l

My invention relates broadly to toys and more particularly to an inflatableballoon spinning toy.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved construction of inflatable balloon spinning toy which is simple to manufacture and may be inexpensively produced on a mass production scale and which is attractive and entertaining in its use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel construction of inflatable balloon operative to spin about a suspension axis under control of a tangential jet of escaping air operating to rapidly revolve the balloon.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel construction of nozzle for inatable toy balloons for directing and controlling the discharge of air therefrom in a tangential direction for causing the spinning of the balloon about a suspension axis.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the construction and arrangement of spinning inflatable balloon, as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational View of the spinning balloon with a portion thereof broken away and illustrated in section showing more clearly the manner of suspending the balloon; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View on line 2-2 of Fig. l showing the arrangement of the valve in the side of the inflatable balloon for directing the discharge of air therefrom in a tangential direction for spinning the balloon about the suspension axis; Fig. 3 is an elevational View looking` at the front of the jet control Valve; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View through the jet control valve taken on line llof Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5 5 through the jet control valve illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the jet control valve illustrated in closed position; Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 'i-l of Fig. 1 and showing the swivel ring through which the suspension axis of the spinning balloon passes; Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of spinning balloon embodying my invention; Fig. 9 shows a further modified form of jet control valve which may be employed in the spinning balloon of my invention; Fig. l0 is a transverse `sectional View taken on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9; Fig. 1l is a longitudinal sectional View taken on line II-II of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 illustrates a further modified form of the spinning balloon of my invention in which the spinning of the balloon takes place about a horizontal axis; Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional View on line I3-I3 of Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view of a fur'- ther modified form of spinning balloon embodying'myinvention, and Fig. l5 is a sectional view taken on line i5-I5 of Fig. 14.

The inflatable spinning balloon of my invention comprises the rubber balloon bag l having an outlet 2 at one side thereof for receiving a special 'form of jet control valve. The inflatable rubber bag I has a thin rubber disc 3 arranged at the top thereof forming a connection means for the suspension cord i which passes through the thin rubber disc E as shown at 6 and is knotted at 5 beneath the disc 3. The disc 3 is cemented about vits periphery to the balloon bag l and expands and contract-s with the material of the balloon While confining theknotted end 5 of the cord il. The suspension cord 4 extends through one side of the swivel ring l and is secured therein by knot The swivel ring l has its diametrically opposite side apertured to receive suspension cord 9 which is knotted therein as represented at IU. Suspension cord 3 hangs from the suspension stick Ii to which it is suitably secured by appropriate knotting I2. The spinning balloon may be held by means of suspension stick I I allowing the balloon to freely hang subject to rotation about the axis of suspension cords Il and E! under control of the jet controlvalve illustrated generally at I4 located at the side of the inflated balloon bag I. The jet control valve may be formed in Various constructions. The air must escape from this valve in order to spin the iniiated balloon. In the form of valve illustrated in Figs. 1-6, the aperture 2 at the side of the balloon I is provided with an enlarged flange which engages within an annular groove I5 in the end of the tubular stem I6. The tubular stem I6 terminates in an annuiar end flange Il centrally apertured at I3 to provide a port through which the rubber bag I may be inflated. The flange Il forms a mouthpiece to facilitate the blowing up of the rubber bag I to form the balloon. A flexible diaphragm I9 is secured interiorly of the flange Il at one side thereof, as represented at 2t,'by gluing or otherwise, so thaty the diaphragm it may be forced to the dotted line position lea in Fig. 4, while the rubber bag I is being inflated and will be forced to theV full line position as illustrated in Fig. 4 after the rubber bag I has been inflated into a balloon to prevent escape of the air from the balloon. The hollow tubular stem i6 provides mounting vmeans for the adjustable sleevelike or cylindrical Valve 2i which surrounds the stem I6. The stem It has a longitudinally extending slot Il therein forming an opening for the escape of air from the inflated balloon. This opening I6a is normally closed by revolving sleeve 2| to a position covering slot Ilia while the rubber bag I is being inflated by blowing up the rubber bag I through the mouthpiece formed by flange Ia. The sleeve 2l is shaped to provide a V-shaped recess 22 in one side thereof. The V-shaped recess 22 serves as a means for controlling the area of the discharge aperture I'I through which the air from the inflated balloon I may be discharged. The slot I'I is covered lby the inclined edge of the V-shaped recess 22 in varying degrees for thus controlling the rate at which the air escapes;

from the side of the liniated balloon I as represented in Fig. 2. By variably covering or uncov-v` ering the escape slot I'I the quantity of air discharged from the inflated balloon I for a given time is controlled for correspondingly controllingthe rate of rotation of the inflated balloon -I. Theoping a jet propulsion'force tending to`s`pin'the balloon I about the suspension axis thereof. By providing ornamentation, as 'represented at 23,

Aon the surface' ofthe balloon; various esthetic and attractive effects may be produced bythe spinning balloon. i

"InFig 8 I have illustrated a modified form of inflatable balloon I suspended by cord 4'Iand`provided with a shaped orifice 2114 projecting into the opening 2in one side ofthe rubber'ba'g I. The orifice`2l 'is horn-shaped and is provided with an annular groove'25 on"one"end thereof into which the enlarged flange of the'opening 2 of the Arubber bag'l 'is'erigaged.` The horn-'shaped orifice f1`- is curved toward the inflatable rubber bag I terminating'in a'mouthpieoe`26 through which the'iubber bag'l maybe inflated and from which the air from the inflated balloon I may be discharged tangentially` tothe inilated`-ball'o'on I forl'spinning the balloon about 'the suspension axis. 4. l

V"'Figs. 9, 10, and 11 illustrate a further modified form' 'of a jet control'valve vfo1""'tliev iniiatable rubber balloon, in which a tubular sleeve 2T having'agrooved end 28' is providedl andthe grooved eifdthereof engagedby theflang'eZ'o'f side'openingof the' balloon I. "Thesleeve 27 vconstitutes aV holder for the rotatable sleeve 29 which extends intov the interior of sleeve 21.,"'Sleeves'2'land29 each include' longitudinally 'extending apertures 3Q and3I therein which'ma'y bevriably'aligned by' revolving the sleeve 29 within'sleeve Y2'! by manually twisting flange 32 onsleev 29'.` The rubber" bag I is inflated by aligning apertures and 3I to allow'entr'y of air into the bag'When inflated, the sleeve 23 may be moved to a position iniwhich the" cylindrical wall thereof wholly closes the slot 39.' When it is desired to spin the balloon, the sleeve 29 is'tWiSted'inl that position which so registers slot 3 I with slot 3D that a predetermined quantity of 'air may be discharged at a rate which governs the speed of rotation of the balloon.

The concentric tubes 2]( and 29, while being rotatably adjustable one with respect to the'other, fit-'eachother so snugly that the friction'al grip between the tubes prevents dislod'gement thereof bythe pressure of the escaping air from thev balloon as the rubber bag l 'contracts to expel the enclosed air. 4

ln Figs. 12 and 13 I have shown the principles 4 of my invention applied to a toy balloon which is suspended on a horizontal axis. |lhe balloon in this arrangement is illustrated at 33, having thin rubber discs 34 and 35 arranged at diametrically opposite sides thereof through which horizontally extending cords or strings 33 and 3l extend. Both strings are knotted on their ends and the knots are confined by the discs 34 and 35. The discs 3d and 35 are cemented at their peripheries tothe inflatable rubber bag 33. These rubberI discs may be secured to rubber bag 33 by a vulcanizing process. The horizontally stretchable cords or strings 36 and 3'! connect with swivel rings 33 and 39, respectively, which are in turnconnected 'to suspension cords 40 and ill z which may be stretched horizontally and held in the opposite hands. The inflatable bag 33 is providedwithancaperture 42 adjacent the top thereof through which a horn-type insert 24 of the construction similar to that illustrated in Fig. 8 is inserted. That isvto say, the same type ofriiice '24 is employed in the 'form of my inventioiiV illustrated in Figs. l2 and 13 as that shown in Fig. 8, The opening 26 in the horntypewriflce is directedto' a position in which ali"` is Ydischarged tangentially tothe side-of the inliatedballoonfSS, 'threbyfspinning the balloon abut a horizontal a`xis Vvwhen the balloon is stretched between the horizontally extending cords" o'r string'l--BG and" 4 I-`3'l.

InFig's. le and`151rhave shown a modied arrangement of tangentially'directed discharge oriflce iii which the inflatable balloon bag shown at 43-has the tubular neck 4.4 thereof cemented at the'inner side' thereof 'directly to the side wall of theba'g' 43jas representedby the cement 66. Thismaint'ainsthe' neck i4 in a tangential positionl with respect to the side wall of the inflatable balloon '13 so that after inflation the balloon is forced to spin about thel suspension axis by vdischarge of air A`in a tangential direction 'with respect to the spherical wallj'ofw the balloon.

`"illhil'e' fhaife dsrib'dmy invention in certain of its preferred embodiments, I realize that modicationinay'bemade inthe details of the construction of the jet control valve and other features of the toy, and'I desire that it be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intendel other than may be imposed by the scope Offlelbpeeded Claims.

'Whatfclairn! as newand desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is as follows:

umjet propelled spinning balloonl comprising anV in ilatablecollapsible resilient bag, a suspension means connected with the top of the bag, the bag being rotatablyu suspended thereby, an inating andY discharge `connection at one side of the bagand anfinilating-valve insertable into saidgconnection land operating to direct a jet ofv air tangentially and horizontallyufroin the inflatedmballofor'rot'atablydriving it,V said valve comprising'acylindrical stem having a slot in one side"t'hejeof"and an encircling coacting cylindrical stein closed at'one end thereof and having a slot'n the side thereof'variably and selectively alignable witnthe slotin the aforesaid cylindricalJ stein for variably and selectively controlling'thedis'charge f'air from said inflated balloon forspinning the balloon at selected velocities about thesusp'ension means.

2. A jet propelled vspinning balloon comprising an' inflatable collapsible resilient bag, a suspension rneans'connected'with the top of the bag, the bag being rotatably suspended thereby, an inflating and discllarfgev connectionV at one side of the bag and an inlating valve inserted into said connection and operating to direct a jet of air tangentially and horizontally from the inated balloon for rotatably driving it, said valve including a cylindrical stem projecting from said connection, and closed at the outer extremity thereof, said stem having a laterally directed aperture in the cylindrical wall thereof and a sleeve rotatably encircling said stem, said sleeve having a portion shaped to variably close the aperture in said stem by rotation thereabout for selectively regulating the rate of discharge of air from said iniiated balloon for correspondingly controlling the rate of rotation thereof about said suspension means.

3. A jet propelled spinning balloon comprising an inflatable collapsible resilient bag, asuspension means connected With the top of the bag, the bag being rotatably suspended thereby, an inating and discharge connection at one side of the bag and an inflating valve inserted into said connection and operating to direct a jet of air tangentially and horizontally from the inated balloon for rotatably driving it, said valve including a cylindrical stem projecting from said connection, and closed at the outer extremity thereof, said stem having a laterally directed aperture in the cylindrical wall thereof and a sleeve rotatably encircling said stem, said sleeve REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 69,873 Warner Oct. 15, 1867 488,071 Hodgson Dec. 13, 1892 888,415 Barber May 19, 1908 1,051,004 Pfeiffer Jan. 21, 1913 1,527,116 Burgert Feb. 27, 1925 OTHER REFERENCES Knights Mechanical Dictionary, published 1874. Page 17, vol. I, part I, denition of aeoli pile and illustration thereof of Heros device. Available in U. S. Pat. Off. Scientiiic Library, 

